Bob Dylan Rhetoric

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The 1960’s will forever be remembered as The Civil Rights Movement Era: a period of war and protest. Bob Dylan was one of the most influential singers and songwriters during this era voicing his strong disapproval towards war and discrimination through his songs. The legendary singer was born on May 24, 1941, in Duluh, Minnesota and has received awards such as the Academy and Golden Globes Award, the Grammy, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and most recently the Nobel Prize for Literature. Bob Dylan wrote over three hundred songs all addressing social issues such as war and civil rights. In one of Bob Dylan’s most famous songs, “Blowin’ in the Wind”, the lyrics portray the historical significance of the Civil Rights Movement through the …show more content…
All phrases in the song are rhetorical questions with exception of the ending phrase of each stanza. One of the most famous rhetorical questions in the song states, “How many deaths will it take till he knows/ That too many people have died?” (Dylan 21-22). Through the use of this rhetorical question, Bob Dylan argues how many people must die before we confront the problem. Bob Dylan is specifically setting sight on issues of violence and war, and disapproves of people’s unwillingness to address the problem. “Through this series of rhetorical questions, [Bob Dylan] tries to send his message, which is a call for freedom” (Hubpages). Bob Dylan’s rhetorical questions raise objections towards all human behavior and call for …show more content…
Bob Dylan proclaims, “How many times must a man look up/Before he can see the sky?” (Dylan 17-18). In this rhetorical question the sky is a symbol of freedom. Bob Dylan protests how much longer must people fight and bleed before we can achieve freedom. Bob Dylan opposes the fact that people are ignoring the cries of war, which can also be seen as cries for freedom. On another note, Bob Dylan also discusses an image of a white dove sailing through the sea. “Bob Dylan asks how many of these white doves must sail before world peace is achieved?” (JTR Staff). A white dove is the universal symbol for peace and is used by Bob Dylan in his call for unity.
In essence, Bob Dylan uses his protest song “Blowin’ in the Wind” to depict the historical significance of the Civil Rights Movement. Bob Dylan calls for peace and unity through the extensive use of repetition, rhetorical questions, and symbolism. Bob Dylan used a multitude of rhetorical questions to engage with the listener and their emotions and convinced them that the answers to war, discrimination, and inequality are all around us but it’s up to us to grasp those answers and take action. “Blowin’ in the Wind” became anthem of the civil rights movement initiating action in search for peace and
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